Rapunzel's Masquerade
by ayziks
Summary: Rapunzel wants to have some Halloween fun with Eugene and her subjects, but a grand social event goes horribly wrong when an unexpected and previously unknown guest threatens the royals. Tangled characters property of Disney.


**Title: **"Rapunzel's Masquerade"  
**Author:** A6  
**Rating:** T – Eugene/Rapunzel romance, violence  
**Summary:**Rapunzel wants to have some Halloween fun with Eugene and her subjects, but a fun event goes horribly wrong when an unexpected and previously unknown guest threatens the royals. Tangled characters property of Disney

...

In the dead of the night one crisp October night, Eugene was sleeping soundly in the bed in that he and Rapunzel shared every night since their wedding night three years earlier. But he retained some of his old thief's habits. A nearly silent movement in the darkness put him instantly on alert. It was a dark, hooded figure – wearing the cloak of Gothel – and the figure's arms and hands rose up to strike the pair in their bed. The figure uttered an ominous, scary sound.

_"How could this be?"_he thought, and waited for the moment to move.

He had seen Gothel age rapidly and turn to dust.

_"Is this an evil spirit form of Gothel? So near All Hallow's Eve,"_he worried.

There was no time to react. Only to protect.

The dark figure got too close. Instantly he grabbed his young wife, still wrapped in a blanket, rolled off the bed, and he drew his sword, aiming it at the shadowy figure. He put the blade an inch from its face. The 'shing' of the blade against its scabbard stopped the attacking figure.

Pascal turned completely white all over and hid in a book shelf.

"Whoa! Stop! Eugene it's me!" screamed a young voice.

Eugene raised an eyebrow, and lowered his blade.

"Rapunzel?" He asked.

He loosened his grip on the blanket that he thought was wrapped around his slumbering wife, and two big pillows fell out on to the bedroom floor.

Rapunzel was still trying to catch her breath with a scare from Eugene as big as she had planned to give him. It had been a long time since she'd stared at the wrong end of a very sharp blade, "I...I was trying to practice giving you a Halloween scare."

"I'd say it worked," he said seriously, "I could have hurt you badly, Rapunzel. You were wearing Gothel's cloak."

"Yeah. My 'trick' worked too well. I nearly pee'd my pants, Eugene,"she giggled.

"Well you do that nearly all the time now," he snickered back.

She gave him a fake dirty look, as she shed Gothel's cloak. Eugene smiled at the wonderful, large, rounded bump of her stomach protruding from her nightgown, enveloping their child.

"No fair picking on a pregnant woman," she smirked, patting the baby bump.

"Well then, let me make it up to you, then," he said with a gleam in his eye, reaching to her. She returned the look with one of desire.

They fell back into bed into each other's arms, kissed passionately, and that excitement of being close led them to have some late night fun that in fact had led them into the condition she was in now.

...

When they awoke, they continued their pillow talk from last night.

"Well, a scary Halloween didn't work on you, although I have to admit you're losing your scoundrel's edge, my dear. You didn't stir when I crept out of the bed to put the cloak on," Rapunzel joked.

"Perhaps that bottle of that expensive French wine you insisted I have every drop of?" He grinned.

"Who? Me? Give my very own husband too much wine? I am much more of a lady than that," she teased.

He just shook his head and kissed her good morning as he always did.

"I love Halloween. We have to do something. It was the one holiday we really celebrated in the tower that was fun to do together," Rapunzel recalled.

"Given Gothel being a witch, I wonder why that was her favorite holiday?" joked Eugene.

Rapunzel punched his arm, and stuck her tongue out at him.

She sulked, "We _have_to do something to celebrate."

"Well, how about this? I used to try to blend into the crowd by dressing up as a proper gentleman. How about a masquerade?"

"A masquerade ball! Perfect!" she squealed.

She grabbed his collar, and she kissed him gratefully hard on the lips. After that, Eugene wanted to repeat last night, but she was already only thinking about the masquerade.

"Help me up, Eugene! Let's tell Mom and Dad and get this thing started."

She started planning immediately, muttering to herself, "Who to invite? What to wear? Hmm, how about a helpless damsel in distress?"

"You were never helpless, ever since I met you. Too typecast."

She beamed at him, "Thank you. Well, eight months pregnant, I feel like a beached whale and I do feel pretty helpless right now. You'd rather me go as Gothel?"

Eugene interjected, "Please don't wear that old witch's robe. Going as a fair maiden might be OK after all, but as a damsel you need me to go as a knight in shining armor!"

Rapunzel joked, "You? A stuffy old knight? Maybe I WILL go as Gothel!"

They laughed heartily, but their baby didn't like the laughing, and kicked Rapunzel hard internally. Eugene could see the kick easily, as she clutched her belly, "Oh!"

"Rapunzel, did you see that? That was the biggest one yet," his eyes bulged.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes, still wincing, "You shoulda felt it."

They hugged and returned to their masquerade ball plans.

...

The night was at hand. The palace was decorated in the spirit of great celebration, and shone brightly against the darkness with many torches and fires.

The main hall was jammed with people milling about, admiring all the great costumes, drinking and eating the enormous amount of food laid out on table after table. Many were dancing, and the King and Queen presided happily over the festivities from their thrones, chatting with passersby and eating. They weren't big dancers any more.

Besides, they wanted the spotlight to be the young royal couple, who swirled together gently in the night. Rapunzel was dressed as a young damsel, complete with the high pointed hat and veil and color matched mask. She was in a beautiful shade of pale lavender and gold – the kingdom's colors. The dress was soft chiffon and lace. She looked elegant. The empire waist cut and sheen of the fabric accentuated her pregnant figure in a dazzling way, so that every woman in the kingdom was excited for the young couple, and some even envious it was she who bore Eugene's baby and not them.

Eugene was dressed as a dashing young knight, complete with armor and chain mail over most of him, including the helmet. He felt heavy, and hot, glad that although he had been knighted for saving Rapunzel, that he never had to officially wear the armor of a knight. He couldn't tell whether he was hot from the metal armor, or it was Rapunzel's effect on his heart, so beautiful dancing in his arms, pregnant or not.

The King's heralds stopped the festivities about halfway through the night, and announced that the King was going to make a toast to the couple, and thank everyone for making it a success.

Unexpectedly, the heavy double oak doors at the entrance to the hall smashed open.

An enormous black-armored knight, astride an ebony war horse, reared up at the entrance to the great hall. He arrogantly approached he young couple, scattering the guests, knocking waiters over, and spilling food and drink everywhere. People screamed as the dark knight pulled his broadsword and Eugene pulled his own sword in defense, hid Rapunzel behind him, and faced off the ominous knight.

From behind the thrones, black robed men appeared and quickly subdued the King and Queen. A few minutes earlier, they appeared to only be masquerade party goers in their robes.

_"I should have been on guard for something like this,"_Eugene thought.

"Stop where you are, Sir Knight," Eugene threatened.

The black knight stopped his approach, but sidestepped the battle horse in a circle, causing Eugene to turn in place, still with Rapunzel protected behind him. He sheathed his sword, but Eugene did not.

"Tonight is not the night to die, Eugene," sneered the knight.

He added, "And you sir, are no knight. It is merely a fancy title given to you. You Eugene, are a knight only because you saved the princess. You are still a criminal, and will die one, especially for killing my great, great, great Grandmother Gothel."

The crowd gasped. Rapunzel nearly fainted.

"I come to avenge her wrongful death at yours and Rapunzel's hands," he shouted.

He issued a challenge, "On the morrow, we will joust. If you win, you get Rapunzel and the lives of the King and Queen back."

"And if I lose?" glared Eugene, with blade still out-thrust to the knight.

"You die a peasant, stripped of your title. And the King and Queen will die also. Rapunzel and the child you sired will become my wife. I will become King, and I will raise the child in the ways of Family Gothel. And the child will come to hate you, Eugene."

Eugene seethed, "NO!"

He started to rush the black knight, who pointed his own sword back at it Eugene. It was twice the size of Eugene's.

The knight warned, "Try something here and you all die tonight."

The henchmen pulled their knives and placed them against the throats of the King and Queen, and escorted them away from the great hall.

Eugene stopped his charge, but continued to simmer in rage.

A third henchmen took Rapunzel away from Eugene, and dragged her off.

She reached for Eugene, and pleaded, "Eugene!"

Knowing he could do nothing at this point he said through gritted teeth, "Do not hurt her."

The knight gloated, "Yes I know. She is with child and I shall take care of her. Since she and the child will be mine by this time tomorrow night."

Pascal and Maximus watched quietly from the wings, both helpless. Pascal was beet red in anger.

Eugene stood alone in the midst of the shattered party, and lowered his sword and head, "How to save them?" He muttered in anguish, "And how to become a jousting expert overnight."

...

The kingdom's populace crammed the arena full by early morning. The townspeople were all rooting for Eugene. He smiled, knowing full well that it would take skill more than well wishes to defeat this mysterious man. But the boost he got from knowing everyone was on his side helped.

He chafed in his poorly fitting armor, trying to get his lance in a comfortable position. He had gotten little rest over night, and despite all the kingdom's best squires' help and advice, his hurried practice in knightly skills was not really sinking in.

He wished he was in a knife fight. The black knight would last about thirty seconds, if that. He had four other lives to protect besides his own today. Reluctant as he was to ever kill, would not hesitate against a revenge-driven relative of false Mother Gothel.

He faced reality, though, and prayed that he would at least go down fighting with dignity, and inflict some kind of fatal injury to the black knight so that even if he died, the black knight would fail in his quest to take Rapunzel and kill her wonderful parents, who he loved like they were his.

The way the black knight was sparring, to intentionally intimidate Eugene, left no doubt in Eugene's mind he wouldn't last two rounds.

The kings' squires lowered Eugene into Maximus' saddle, and his faithful horse friend looked at Eugene supportively. Pascal watched from a perch. The bound and gagged King, Queen, and Rapunzel, heavily guarded, watched from the royal box. A minion of the black knight stood by, clearly the King and Queen's executioner, waiting for the word from the black knight.

Eugene readjusted his grip on his lance and shield. He could barely sit up in the saddle, and as strong as he was, he couldn't really guide and aim his weapon. He conceded he was no knight, and at the very time when the royals needed him most.

The first charge caught him off guard. The black knight was at full gallop before Eugene could get Maximus going.

The black knight's lance hit Eugene square in the chest, snapping ribs, but fortunately did not puncture the armor. He was breathless and in terrible pain. His own lance made only a glancing blow that the knight deflected easily.

They got ready for another run. They started and clashed again. This time Eugene's lance drew blood, and the black knight groaned, but Eugene felt a horrible pain in his shoulder, and he saw a lance head sticking from his upper arm and shoulder. He couldn't hold a shield in the next run. It would soon be over.

But then Maximus looked around caught Eugene's eye, and got his attention to look at the saddle bag. He saw the handle of Maximus' huge frying pan sticking out.

Eugene mouthed the words, _"Max! You're brilliant!"_

Maximus winked, and had a new spring in his step.

They got set up as before, but Eugene was shieldless. A quiet came over the crowd, knowing that Eugene would go down fighting this time. But he would go down. There was crying and wailing, and fervent prayers. When he went down, so would the King and Queen, and the unthinkable would happen– Rapunzel would be a reluctant wife to the black knight, and the kingdom would be plunged into the darkness of an evil ruler.

This time Eugene got the sprint run jump on the black knight. But the black knight's dark lance was aimed at Eugene's heart, unprotected by a shield.

Mid way through their full speed run at each other, Eugene dropped his lance and imparted a spin to it, so that it stuck in the dirt, across the track of the dark knight. With his good arm, Eugene pulled the heavy cast iron skillet out, and smashed it broadside against the black knight's lance, splintering its sharp end, and shattering it along its length. But more important, the force of the skillet drove the handle through the knight's armor and deep into his shoulder. Eugene also smacked the black knight in the face with the skillet, breaking his nose and gashing his forehead viciously. The knight groaned, and started to fall backward from his saddle.

His steed tripped over Eugene's imbedded lance, and threw the knight head first into the dirt at full speed, driving the remains of the lance completely through the knight's shoulder and out his back.

The black knight lay in the bloody dirt, writhing in pain and screaming.

The crowd could not believe the skill and speed of Eugene's attack, and stood and cheered. The black knight's guards tensed and became very nervous. Rapunzel looked for an opening, and glanced at Pascal. He turned brown and black to blend into the wooden timbers of the arena and climbed into the roof of the arena, heading for the King and Queen.

Holding his injured side, Eugene jumped off Maxiumus, and discarded his armor on the ground. It had become the knife fight he wanted. He pointed his mid size personal sword and the throat of the downed black knight, ready to thrust, and poised for any trick.

Eugene growled, "Yield or perish, dark knight."

Surprisingly, the knight groaned, "I yield. But a prison will never hold me. I am Gothel's relative. I will pursue you relentlessly. You and your new family will never be safe, as long as I live."

Eugene spit, "we'll see about that. Guards! Take him."

He lowered his blade, and turned from the downed knight. But he knew what was coming. Behind him the black knight gathered himself, and prepared for a great slashing blow to Eugene.

Rapunzel screamed, "Eugene!"

He ducked, just as the black knight's blade would have cleaved his head from his shoulders. Eugene kicked backwards, to break some ribs and collapse the black knight to the arena's dirt, as Eugene had won many fights before. Instead he caught the black knight on the backswing of his long sword thrust, driving the blade deep into the knight's own neck.

The knight dropped and gurgled, gushing in unstoppable bleeding.

Eugene hovered over the dying knight, and said, "I...l'm sorry."

The knight spoke his final words, "This is the only way, Sir Eugene. I would have hunted you all down..."

He breathed his last. Everyone was surprised that the knight's hair turned white, and his skin leathered, and then all turned to dust.

The black knight was somehow as old as Gothel herself. But no one had time to absorb it.

Shattered by the black knight's demise, his henchman turned to flee, but were stopped in their tracks by the palace guards. One drew a knife on the captain, but fell where he stood from a palace marksman's arrow to the back. The captain saluted his friend, hidden high in the rafters of the arena, ready to save the King and Queen had somehow Eugene failed.

Not so for the executioner, who took his leader's orders into his own hands. He wound up to kill the King and Queen, but from his hiding place, Pascal leaped on the executioner's face, biting and clawing him. The man reeled backward and fell, with more palace guards there to subdue him. The palace guard captain smiled, and thought ironically that the black knight's executioner would be soon dispatched by his own blade.

It was over. Rapunzel quickly untied her parents, and they hugged her, and petted Pascal affectionately. He turned a shade of bright red, blushing with the praise.

The crowd was screaming in adoration of the young royals at the end of the ordeal.

Eugene rubbed Maximus' snout, and said, "Thank you my friend. Once again I am in your debt."

Max whinnied, and nuzzled Eugene. Eugene and Maximus approached the royal box. Eugene and Maximus bowed before the royals. The crowd fell silent.

"My Lord and Ladies, I have vanquished the foe," Eugene announced formally, and with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

"Thank you Sir Knight," she said equally formally, and curtsied.

Resisting the reflex to gag at her husband's overly formal knight's behavior, she removed a scarf from her neck, and tossed it for Sir Eugene to catch and tie to his sword handle, in the etiquette of honoring the joust's victor. The crowd applauded, but was anxious for what they planned to do next. The young royals were always so entertaining in the depth of their affection and the teasing games they played with each other in public. The people adored Eugene for how much he loved and cared for their returned princess.

Quickly, Eugene grabbed one end of the royal banner hanging down from the box, and he swung up and over into the box, grabbed Rapunzel and kissed her deeply. The townspeople screamed and cheered in total delight at seeing the couple safely back together. They broke the kiss, and her parents joined their hug. At just about the time the King turned to speak, he was interrupted by three sentries who ran into the royal box, and yelled, "We found this in the black knight's quarters!"

The Queen, speechless, rose out of her chair, and gripped her husband's arm, shaken by what she saw.

It was another sun plant, just like the one that had been taken from Gothel years prior to save the Queen and her unborn child from the sickness. Just like Gothel's plant, it had kept the black knight alive for centuries. It must have been a seedling from the original.

...

The royal scribes later discovered a small hut in the midst of the forest, many miles from the tower. The records found there showed the black knight was Gothel's son - her real son - whom had been terribly frightened as a young teen, and fled deep into the forest with the plant when they took the original sun flower from Gothel. In centuries, due to their isolation, had never ever found each other.

...

But that wasn't the only miracle in the kingdom over the next few months.

When the princess' midwife finally let Eugene see his wife and cooing first born child, his face was tearful with happiness as Rapunzel pulled back the swaddling around the baby's head that kept their newborn comforted.

They gently embraced with the newborn cuddled between them, looked knowingly at each other, smiling with the revelation they were seeing.

Eugene whispered, "Blondes are nice too, Rapunzel."


End file.
